Occupational Therapy: What is it??

One of the greatest mysteries of modern medicine...

[christinemuller]

As an occupational therapist: this is hilarious!
No one knows what we do because we do so many different things in different work places. The way I explain it is by saying: My job is to think about all your daily activities which are easy when you are well but more difficult when you are not.

[TheEmmakathryn]

"He can't brush his teeth?! We should get someone to help him with that!"
"But who would we call?!"
🤣🤣🤣

[loril]

I just laughed so hard I peed a little. As an OT this is spot on. Physical therapy may get you up and walking but are you going to walk down that hall naked? Welcome to OT!

[jenniferrose]

OTs are so under appreciated. It would have taken me another lifetime to relearn how to function in the most efficient way if it weren't for my OT. I don't know how I would have gotten through rehab without her. ❤

[violetskies]

As a chronically ill person I love ots! They're the people that make my life 10× easier. Can't stand in the shower? Here's a shower chair. Can't push your own wheelchair anymore? Here's a referral for an electric wheelchair. Your house has stairs and you can't get up them anymore? I'll find you a new house and adapt it so you can live there. This is ots in Britain btw that's why all the stuff is free.

[irismartinez]

So true! Everyone seems to know what PT does, but no idea about OT, including those in the medical field. Our range is so great! I've had the privilege of educating patients and staff the roles of OT for the past 20 years.

[eric]

Im in tears. Director of Rehab here and this conversation happens about once a month. Who would you call to learn to brush your teeth?🤣

[KF-tqdf]

OMG as an occupational therapist this is the hardest part of the job 😂 seriously we had whole assignments in university about explaining what OT is

[ciarac.]

Finally a video with OT 😂❤️ the way we describe it to our patients is “helping you get back in doing your everyday activities or what we call occupations”. This is so true when people aren’t always sure how to differentiate PTs and OTs . And it’s true that sometimes people DO forget how to do their jobs for example after having a stroke. We simulate them during therapy so they could get back to work. As for Mr. Jones here, we can teach him how to brush his teeth or get dressed or take a bath independently rather than relying on a caregiver. Other than that, occupations often rely on the patient’s age and role. So for teenagers we can help them participate in school, for adults we help them get back to work, for the elderly we help them with leisure exploration to improve their quality of life :)

[jenayayounger]

As someone who had to go to OT after a brain injury this is so funny. I had so many people ask me what I did there. More like what didn’t I do there.

[leegellatly]

“He can’t brush his teeth. We should get someone to help him with that.”
Me screaming in my head: call the OT dammit!

[ybunnygurl]

Good old OT. I got OT in elementary school to help me have better hand eye coordination and to hold a pencil and to learn how to use my muscles to do the things that I wanted them to do; not have them decide to do something else because dyslexia... I love OT, you guys are da best

[dianedeck]

COTA here. We literally have a doctor who doesn't like OT. So he sends patients home with home health PT consult for Strengthening for ADLs, but no OT. Trust me you will not get a PT to do ADLs with a patient. They always have to call the Dr. Back to get an OT order. The doctor is finally starting to catch on. Lol

[junkmalme]

I vote we rebrand OT to be Movement and Operations Management. The acronym could be MOM

[ohheckitsthatkid]

"He can't brush his teeth"
"Someone should help him with that"
Perfection.

[MsFrizzyHair]

I'm an audiologist and have been referred to by ENT residents as a speech therapist lol this is so true in regards to rehab therapies 🤣

[bec]

As someone with chronic pain that has to do OT occasionally I love this. This is pretty much my conversation with the insurance company about why I'm going to it

[legibletiger]

This burnt my soul, was an OT student, life happened, now hoping to be an OT student again.

[staceyme]

We call them "ergotherapeut" in Dutch. Basically a person who will help you to find ways to overcome/deal with/go around physical difficulties/disabilities.

[kaylaboland]

When I was a mental health inpatient they had an OT on site but literally never described what an OT was or does, so I never saw them as I thought it was pointless. Wish there were more awareness around occupational therapy!!